Lucas Cotterman isan avid reader, writer, and visual artist with a professional background in lighting, video, and stage design for live music tours. Never far from his love for the written word, Lucas studied English Literature at Pace University and after years of being on the road with rock bands (Interpol, The Strokes, and Arcade Fire, to name a few) Lucas pursued his literary passion and earned the esteemed role of Bookstore Manager at Big Sur’s legendary Esalen Institute. There Lucas became a part Big Sur’s storied legacy as a home for some of the world’s favorite writers and creatives, including Hunter S. Thompson, Henry Miller, Jack Kerouac, and Robinson Jeffers. Now a Gloucester resident, Lucas is a co-owner of Dogtown Bookshop, fulfilling his lifelong dream of owning and operating a used bookstore. He is excited about the hunt for unusual and rare books, and loves being immersed in the uniquely creative and enduring community of Gloucester.

The first book Lucas read was Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, story and pictures by Lanesville legend Virginia Lee Burton. The book Lucas has read the most times is Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle.

Caroline Harvey is an author, educator, and activist who believes in reading and writing as a powerful path for overcoming adversity, discovering vibrant health, and affecting real social change. Her grandparents owned a home near Niles Beach, taken long ago in a storm, and she is proud to be the third generation of her family to call Gloucester home. A writing professor at Berklee College of Music for almost a decade, Caroline continues to tour and lecture worldwide with original writing and curriculum. A featured writer at the 2014 World Parks Congress in Sydney, AU, and a recipient of an artist’s grant from the US Embassy in Serbia, Caroline has shared stages, classrooms, and publishing credits with such writers and lyricists as Danez Smith, Livingston Taylor, Mos Def (now Yasiin Bey), Mary Lambert, Melissa Ferrick, and Gillian Welch. As a co-owner of Dogtown Bookshop, Caroline loves to connect people with the books that will heal, inspire, and enrich their lives, and is passionate about helping new and experienced writers hone their own creative voices.

The first book Caroline read was The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss, pictures by Crockett Johnson. The book Caroline has read the most times is J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye.